Word: spira
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...must play within the white lines, balancing his freedom to act in the "best interests" of baseball with constraints on his power to deprive an owner of his property rights over a $200 million franchise like the Yankees. Steinbrenner's transgression was giving $40,000 to admitted gambler Howie Spira. The money was almost certainly payment for Spira to delve for dirt on Dave Winfield (now with the California Angels), whom the Boss publicly plotted against from the moment he signed the star rightfielder to a 10-year contract in 1980. If this sounds confusing, take comfort that the commissioner...
...agreement came following a day-long meeting in Vincent's office and was the result of a four-month investigation by the commissioner into Steinbrenner's dealing with self-described gambler Howard Spira...
...investigation centered on Steinbrenner's $40,000 payment to Spira, a 31-year-old New Yorker who describes himself as a former gambler and a former employee of the David M. Winfield Foundation. The commissioner wanted to know why Steinbrenner gave the money to Spira...
Steinbrenner testified before Vincent on July 5 and July 6 and gave various reasons for the payment. Among them were that he was afraid Spira would attack his family, that he gave Spira the money "out of the goodness of my heart" and that he wanted to protect two former Yankees employees from embarassing revelations...
...Spira is under federal indictment on charges that he tried to extort money from Steinbrenner and threatened the owner and Winfield. Spira has pleaded not guilty, and a trial is expected later this year...